ARTICLES
AND COMMENTARY
AWARDS BANQUET
AND
HAROLD LONG FOUNDATION
As most of
you know that read the articles and attend the functions, I have developed a
street fighting system to go along with our Isshin-ryu we call; Dragon Sen-I
Jutsu. It means; Dragon spirit fighting but is best defined as, “situational
combat.”
It has been in development for some time and with the encouragement of my
Master friends, I finally decided to give it life officially with my
students. I have been training my black belts in what was to become Sen-I
for four years, some longer. So I decided to test them and give them the
rank that they achieved through the testing. Physically I felt they all
qualified as black belts but I wanted more for their education than just the
physical. They were given a work book a year ago to use during training.
They referred to it for a number of things and also used it to take notes.
From this information they were required to give me a formal oral and
physical demonstration to include: the teaching ,training and fighting
philosophy, the concepts and adaptations from the four disciplines that make
up Sen-I (Isshin-ryu, Kung fu, boxing, jujitsu/grapping) and what
techniques were derived from what disciplines. They physically demonstrated
the syllabus, and had to recite the tenants and answer terminology
questions. Of coarse, this all had to be demonstrated in the ring with a
real live opponent. They all worked the last two weeks before testing every
night, Saturdays and Sunday’s. When test time came, they all passed with
flying colors. No one came close to qualifying below the rank of black belt.
At the same time, Keith McHone and McKenzie Manley were testing for their
Isshin-ryu brown belt. They too passed with flying colors.
I was so proud of the whole group I was for the first time generally lost
for words. Imagine that!!! Are you listening Jim McDonald????
To commemorate
the occasion, we had an awards dinner. Each was given a rank certificate and
belt. The Sen-I belts are black on the outside with a red stripe in the middle.
The red stripe will identify the belt as a, Sen-I rank . The level of rank will
be signified by the color on the outside of the belt. At Masters level, the belt
will be black and red, like the Isshin-ryu red and white belt. At ninth dan, a
solid black or red belt can be worn. A choice is given of wearing which ever
belt signifies the highest rank of Sen-I or Isshin-ryu. My students won’t have
to worry about masters rank for some time. We just need a system in place so as
not make it up as we go. I am also open to others outside of our dojo acquiring
rank in Sen-I if interested. We are now having cross training work-outs with
others dojo’s. As time goes by, people will continue to become more and more
familiar with our style. It is simply, a cross trained fighter, taught to
develop their skills on a personal, “authentic fighting self” basis. It’s all
about helping a person discover their best and defend their worst, attributes.
Of the four NECESSARY disciplines of Sen-I, it is important to organize the four
into one. This is where the help of coaching can come in. Many have all the
knowledge and skills, but few have the components organized into a flexible
arsenal. A defense practiced in a one dimensional manner is simply a one
dimensional defense.
HAROLD LONG FOUNDATION
Recently I attended my first board meeting of
the newly formed Harold Long Foundation as a new board member. I'll not go into
a lot of detail, as details of the foundation are presently being formulated. I
can tell you that it is a much needed vehicle to keep the spirit alive of the
man who is the reason that most of us are here. In short , it will be an ongoing
documentary of his life contributions to the martial arts and the life and
contributions of those who assisted him for so many years. As some of us are
growing older, our mission is not to let his memory fade or worse forgotten. A
pictorial history, plus his many awards are to be put on display at key martial
arts events. This will enable each of us to share in the memory, while giving
our students an opportunity to share in his memory also. He has now been gone
for nine years. What will nine more years do to his memory if the ones who knew
him best don’t take steps to preserve it. None of your students below San-dan
have ever laid eyes on him. Just of word of mouth and a few touching and funny
stories isn’t the way to preserve his memory. A board has presently been formed
to start the wheels of progress. They are his sons: Gary, Rick and Mick, Joe
Laney, Wayne Wayland and myself. Others will be asked to serve on the board as
board members or participate as advisors and historians. Presently serving as
advisors are Cass Cox, Glenn Webb, Ralph Passero, Jeb Bagshaw, and Dr. Chris
Sawyer. Debbie Laney serves as recording Secretary to the board.
In addition to manpower, it will take revenues to defray the
expense of purchasing, and maintaining the demonstration module and contents.
There is also traveling expense to and from events. It is doable, if we get your
help. The Long family was willing to do it themselves, but why should they? He
was our Sensei. That makes us all family does it not??
As I said, more details for you as they become available. Our next
board meeting is the day after the Steel-Jam, January 19th. We should be able to
answer all your questions after that weekend. Something else I can tell you now,
is that it is not an IIKA, Tatsuokan, or any other type association. It is also
not politically affiliated with any associations but welcomes their support.
Although the IIKA and the Isshin-ryu Hall of Fame carry on his work, they (we),
do not carry on his memory in such a way as to perpetually educate the
Isshin-ryu community, regarding his accomplishments and contributions. This is
where the Harold Long Foundation comes in. It is a non profit foundation for our
Sensei. It is completely non-political and is in the spirit of soliciting old
and new friends, to protect and serve our Sensei’s memory. But, as sure as I am
sitting here, some will try to make it out to be something more or less than it
is. Sadly, some who have benefited most will have the least amount of interest.
All I would suggest is, if there is any apprehension on anyone’s part as to the
intent or focus of the foundation, take time to investigate. Call anyone of us
on the board or its advisors and ask any question(s) you wish. I realize there
may be some wrong assumptions as to who is involved, but you will find all
involved parties listed on the web page. The information currently on the page,
is being revised and will be announced after the January board meeting.
Membership applications are subject to board approval and on rare occasions may
be disapproved. That will be based on the past performance of the individuals
and what is in the best interest of the ongoing reputation of the foundation
Let me close by saying once again, that we need your help, to make
sure that time and apathy doesn't diminish the memory of Mr. Long.
